Hi everyone! I have a quick NOTD post for you...and some news! I got the best box yesterday, and it's chocked full with China Glaze goodness! :) Those on top of the amazing Milani lipsticks I got last week - plus I have eyeshadow swatches coming up. There are two (at least) giveaways on the horizon, and I am super pumped about all of this!!! But anyway here's a mani I wore for 3 days until I got a chip! I found these NailTini polishes in 4 packs at TJMaxx. The two colors I used were Bordeaux, a deep vampy red creme, and Blue Flame, a milky shimmer topper. I also used the quick-dry top coat, Dry Gin. I really like it. It provided a nice shine and dried quickly.


It is just stunning! I wore it for 3 days, like I said, and I only changed my polish because it chipped. I can't wait to try Blue Flame over other colors :) TJMaxx had the 4-packs priced at $3.99! What a steal!!! Full-size bottles of excellent polish for $1 each? That's amazing! :)

**DISCLAIMER** I was not paid for this review by anyone. I either purchased these products myself or were given gifts from friends . I am not a professional nail tech or make-up artist, nor do I want to be. I'm just someone who enjoys polishing my own nails and experimenting with make-up! :)

Wow - it's so darn dreary here! We had a pretty decent storm roll through and sunlight is a thing of the past for a few days. Ugh. I hate swatching with no sun! Anyway, today I bring you another China Glaze Cirque du Soleil polish - a gorgeous red creme called Igniting Love! The formula on this polish is good, maybe a tad on the thick side, but nothing that really gives you trouble. This is slightly pinkish, orange-ish red, which is a very neat combo! It reminds me a lot of a bright version of Make Some Noise or High Hopes.

I am a sucker for a good red creme - I can never have enough of them - so yes, this one fits just right in my wheelhouse and will be used a lot!

DISCLAIMER: Some products used in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration. This blog is written and edited by me, and the opinions are not influenced in any way and are not compensated. I am not a professional nail tech, nor do I have any formal training in nail care. I'm just someone who likes to polish her nails :) Please read this post for more information.

I am just utterly disgusted in the nail polish community right now, so I couldn't even fathom showing off my awesome nails right now. So today, you guys are treated to a post about Clark's January Barkbox! We tore into this box and started using the items before I was able to take pictures! haha Clark truly loves these boxes, and so far we haven't had anything he doesn't like in them. And as I'm typing this I remember that I completely forgot to post about his December box...

ANYWAY! Clark's most favorite part of this box was the Barkworthies chewstick. He LOVES Barkworthies! I wish they were easier to purchase. These are the only chewsticks that keep him occupied. Although he destroys them in a matter of days...


Yeah, my pup had the big snip almost two weeks ago. He is now cone-free and in desperate need of both a bath and a haircut. Another of the things in this month's Barkbox is a Wee-Nut, manufactured by Ruff Dawg. It's got a small opening on one end, and you can stick a few treats down inside and let them have at it getting the treats out. This is Clark's new go-to toy :)

The other toy in this box is Elton the Octopus from Jax and Bones. He has already chewed one of the tentacles into oblivion, and he loves just carrying it from place to place in the house in his mouth.

And lastly, the treats! They are from Nootie, and are grain-free! They are peanut butter-flavored so, of course, Clark loves them! We put these treats in his Wee-Nut and let him go crazy trying to get them out :)

So there ya go! Clark's January box. We have been very happy with all the boxes we've received. If you want to try BarkBox, you can use my code here and get $5 off your first month! :) If you do so, i will also get a free month out of the deal.

***All links to Bark Box in this post are affiliate links.

Well well well! I know it's not Halloween, but since it's my favorite holiday, I always feature Halloween-ish items. Case in point today, as I bring you two of the lip glosses Wet n Wild Fantasy Makers had out for Halloween. I bought the red, which is called Queen of Hearts, and the black, Wicked Witch. I have no idea what possessed me to buy the black one! haha


Queen of Hearts is a deep pink almost red packed with sparkles. I actually really like this shade. I see myself wearing it out and about. The consistency is thick, but I expected that with the glitter suspended.

Now Wicked Witch is such a conundrum for me. I want to like it! haha If it had been as thick as Queen of Hearts, I probly would have liked it more. The consistency is thinner on this one, but it's still as sparkly. I think the reason I wasn't as taken with it is because it was thinner.

Did you buy any of these? Wat do you think of them? BTW, be on the lookout for a Valentine's Day giveaway coming soon! :)

**DISCLAIMER** I was not paid for this review by anyone. I either purchased these products myself or were given gifts from friends . I am not a professional nail tech or make-up artist, nor do I want to be. I'm just someone who enjoys polishing my own nails and experimenting with make-up! :)

Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom: Check out Destany's review of Nail Candy pens...one of the most inventive things to happen to Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom!

Blushing Noir: The Chanel Raffinement Quadra Eye Shadow is anything but boring! This palette will be your new Spring staple!

BeautyTidbits: Harshleen swatches and reviews the new Maybelline Color Whisper Lipsticks.

Portrait of Mai: Missed out on IMATS LA 2013? Check out this recap of all the booths and some of the brand new releases from Sigma Makeup and Sugarpill Cosmetics

Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Lola's Secret Beauty Blog loves the entire vbeaute skincare line, and therefore wasn't surprised by how effective their Lite Up Intense Brightening Agent proved to be!

Emily Hudspeth, hair design and makeup artist: Quick and Easy 2 Ingredient DIY Sugar Scrub. Great for Dry Lips!

Beauty by Miss L: Miss L reviewed Lavera Basis Sensitive Organic hand cream.

TheFabZilla: Love coffee and tea? they're culprit to teeth stains. Remember, if you're not whitening you're yellowing. Will Crest 3D White Strips be the answer?

Beauty Info Zone: Beauty Info Zone puts Revlon Colorstay Suede Lipstick to the test. Was it a pass or fail?

Beauty Professor: Forever a foundation fiend, the Beauty Professor swatches and reviews Dolce & Gabbana's Perfect Finish Creamy Foundation!

Polarbelle: Sally Beauty has the Fingerpaints Candy Coated Collection nail polishes and caviar nail beads that is perfect for springtime!

Endless Summer: Elena reviews Estee Lauder Lash Primer Plus and mascaras, and shows how they look on her lashes.

Painted Ladies: Sheila from Painted Ladies works a bold, red lip with purple and silver eyes in 365 Days of Makeup.

Lipgloss Break: Angela reviews KISS Nail Dress nail stickers.

My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog: Laura from My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog shares her review on the Laura Mercier Creme Eye Liners in Indigo and Espresso.

Pammy Blogs Beauty: The MAC Matters "Build a Core Collection with $21 a Month" Continues! Check out what Pammy Blogs Beauty got in January for the challenge!

• Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom: Check out Destany's review of Nail Candy pens...one of the most inventive things to happen to Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom!
• Makeup Demon: Romantic pink & purple makeup and photoshoot.
• Pinked Polish: No Whine Left, no not that wine, it's a fabulous polish by KB Shimmer. :)
• Mama Fashionista: Quinn's latest Anatomy of a Mani was inspired by her favorite NFL team, the Atlanta Falcons! (Too bad it didn't help them win their playoff game!)
• Beauty and Fashion Tech: Best Beauty Products of 2012.
• Girl Gloss: Urban Decay Vice Review.
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Lola's Secret Beauty Blog loves Relogy Natural Acne Treatment System- it is gentle, effective, vegan and cruelty-free!
• Midnight Manicures: Looking for an easy to use Vegan Acne Treatment that work? Check out my Relogy Rinse-Free Foam Acne Treatment.
• Harajuku Girl FL Beauty: Want to be a Darling Girl? Take a look at these swatches from Darling Girl Cosmetics and become an Independent Beauty!!
• TheFabZilla: Fergalicious! TheFabZilla's FOTD (Face of the Day) features Wet n Wild Fergie Makeups. Plus she has some randomness and OOTD to share.
• Polarbelle: Find your Perfect Pout with the lipsticks from the Wet N Wild Fergie Centerstage Collection.
• Skin, Bones, and nails: Look at these cheaper versions of the ever so popular caviar manicure.
• Cult of Taupe: This week, Beauty meets Geek. See my favs from the Game of Thrones insipired "Win or Die" collection from Geek Chic Cosmetics.
• Beauty by Arielle: Easy Black & White Dot Nail Art Tutorial.
• Liesl Loves Pretty Things: Liesl's favorite nail polish layering duo is a beautiful mix of high and low end. See it here.
• Emily Hudspeth, hair design and makeup artist: DIY Sugar Scrub for Dry Lips. Only 2 Ingredients!
• Beauty by Miss L: Check out Miss L´s simple lazy manicure.
• Rachel's Makeup and Skincare: Rachel continues her search for the perfect foundation, check out what she thinks of By Terry Sheer Expert.
• Lacquer Buzz: Water marbling is not easy. But the result is worth it!
• Crows' Feet, Cupcakes, and Cellulite: Sasha profile's Pur Minerals film-inspired Beautiful Creatures makeup palette. Bring on the supernatural glam!
• Lipgloss Break: Angela reviews KISS Nail Dress nail stickers.
• My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog: Laura from My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog shares her review on the Laura Mercier Creme Eye Liners in Indigo and Espresso.
• Amber Did It!: Amber has some big news and a cute peacock accent mani to celebrate the news.
• Lisa's Nail Obsession: Paint or texture...which do you prefer?

Exciting news coming from Milani! New lipliners and lipsticks are out! They will be available wherever Milani cosmetics are sold :)

Make a statement without saying a word!  True Instant Color. One stroke, full coverage application. This next generation lipstick gives the ultimate in color, texture and finish.  The lightweight creamy formula contains Vitamins A, C, & E to moisturize and nourish lips. Paraben-free. Available in Vinyl, Metallic, Cream, Shimmer, Pearl & Matte finish.

Make a statement without saying a word. True Instant Color. Satin color in one stroke application. This next generation lipliner is a long-wearing, easy-glide formula to line & fill-in your lips. Paraben-free.
Will you be on the lookout for them? I know I would like to try them! :)

I have a wonderful sister-in-law who let me try out her Zoya PixieDust polishes that she purchased during the recent promo. I don't have any of these myself because I'm still on the fence about them. I love the concept, I'm just not sure whether I like it or not...so it's a good thing she let me try the ones she got! :)

Ok, I'll get all the formula stuff out of the way first because both polishes are identical to me. Both were perfect in two coats. The first coat looks way thin, and you wonder if only one more coat is actually going to do it, but it does. They cover nicely in two coats.  They look super shiny after you get the second coat on, but then as they dry, it turns to a soft velvety finish. But it is bumpy. It really kind of reminds me of what chunky glitter feels like with just a regular top coat. I swatched both Nyx and London with and without top coat. I used a thick later of Seche Vite. But even with that SV, I can still feel the bumpiness of the polish (I'm still wearing London on my left hand this morning hehe)

First we have Nyx, a color I love! It's a soft periwinkle with a hint of grey, but the PixieDust makes it look like it's been sprinkled with sand. Or sugar. The first two swatches are without top coat. The second two are with SV. You can see in the first two photos - they just look like sugar. With the top coat, you can see the little added shine it gives.


And then there's London!  This polish is what I'd call a charcoal grey. This one has all the same characteristics as Nyx. It just looks like the nails are dipped in sugar. Same M.O. with these photos. First two are without top coat, second two are with a coat of Seche Vite.


 And there you have it! Two of the new Zoya PixieDust polishes! What do you think? Did you buy any with the promo? Have you tried them? What are your thoughts?

**DISCLAIMER** I was not paid for this review by anyone. I either purchased these products myself or were given gifts from friends . I am not a professional nail tech or make-up artist, nor do I want to be. I'm just someone who enjoys polishing my own nails and experimenting with make-up! :)

Oooh! Here we have another must-have collection from Sation! I'm so excited about this collection...

• AbbacaDazzle: Ta-da! You’ll go bonkers for this yummy sunflower yellow
• Cast a Spill on You: A bewitching cornflower blue with a pearl sheen will hypnotize you
• Chocolate Chip Resistant: A creamy cookie dough with a sugary glaze 
• I’m so Ogre it: Reach for this sleek steely gray for those moody mani days
• Lollipop! Goes the Princess: Pucker up for this pale, pretty periwinkle
• Paint Some Sugar on Me: This sparkly blue-raspberry shade will give you a sugar rush
• Peppermint Pedi: Your nails will be in mint condition with this refreshing vermilion
• Plenty of Frogs: A toad-ally awesome grassy green with a kiss of shimmer
• Queenie in a Bottle: Blink blink blink for this royally rich pink!
• Super Nail-tural Powers: A potent indigo-grape will keep your players spellbound
• Unicorns are Teal: No one can clip your wings when wearing this mystical turquoise
• You’re My Lacquer Charm: Cross your fingers and flash this pop-rock pink for good luck!

A few of these I MUST HAVE! Like Cast a Spill on You, Paint Some Sugar on Me and Super Nail-tural Powers. Aww heck, I'm thinking all of them, even the pink ones, are must haves :)

Candylandia was inspired by the edible escapism of Hasbro’s Candy Land board game, a classic favorite spanning six decades. Miss loved the bright, playful visuals of the swirly rainbow board, which sparked the creation of its own irresistibly sweet polish palette. This whimsical collection offers winning colors that will stir up memories of childhood imagination and endless game-playing. Embark on a magical, manicured journey filled with fun characters and luscious lacquers. Sweeten up your new year when Candylandia hits the shelves this January.

Quick, quick, quick, quick EOTD. I used the Wet n Wild Knock on Wood 3-pan eyeshadow palette for this look...and I've just now come to realize I've never swatched it for the blog! Here are two other blogs that have: The Pretty Vain and MemoCandy. But here's my EOTD!

I did kind of a rainbow-esque application, with swipes of complete color from side to side all the way up...kind of a layered look. I think the Wet n Wild palettes like this are an excellent value for the money. They are $2.99 at stores such as CVS and Walgreens, and then wherever Wet n Wild makeup is sold. The pigmentation is great, and the colors are great together! I'm still learning all this eye stuff. Any tips and/or tricks are always welcome! :) How do you guys feel about eye primers?

**DISCLAIMER** I was not paid for this review by anyone. I either purchased these products myself or were given gifts from friends . I am not a professional nail tech or make-up artist, nor do I want to be. I'm just someone who enjoys polishing my own nails and experimenting with make-up! :)

Image courtesy of Y Public Relations

For the non-professional polishaholic, a new magazine is hitting the stands next month! The magazine is called Nail It! and comes from the publisher of NAILPRO, and is said to be the first consumer-driven fashion, beauty and lifestyle publication that's all about nails.

You can expect to find nail art, tips, trends, products and tutorials within this magazine's pages, along with beauty tips, celebrity styles and columns featuring makeup, trending accessories and fashion.

And where will you be able to find this amazing new publication? You can either get a subscription here, or go to Barnes & Noble, Target, CVS, Walgreens, Duane Reade, or wherever magazines are sold, and purchase a copy. For e-mail updates, you can subscribe here.

I will definitely be checking this magazine out! Oh, who am I kidding. You know I will end up with a subscription before it's all said and done! :) What about you guys? Is this something to which you would subscribe?

So this polish really doesn't match its name. I would think something called Miss Fancy Pants would be eye-catching, extravagant and in your face...but this is not the case of this Essie polish, part of the Style-nomics collection. It's a greyish taupe, with maybe a little hint of purple? The formula was a little on the thick side, which is odd for Essie polish, at least to me. I've always found them thin. Anyway, this polish was good in two coats!


I think it looks great with my skintone, but I just don't like the color. It's not me, ya know? Do you guys have colors like that? Ones that look great with your skintone, but you just don't like?

DISCLAIMER: I was given a free product or sample because I'm a Klout influencer. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company. This blog is written and edited by me, and the opinions are not influenced in any way and are not compensated.  Please read this post for more information.

Just a quick polish post today...of a combo I LOVE! When I wore Pure Ice Home Run, a creamy mint green, all I kept thinking about what mint chocolate chip ice cream. I wondered if I had a dark brown chunky glitter. I wonder how awkward that would actually look in the bottle...... hahah! But then I remembered how I do have Sticks 'n Stones! I can put Sticks 'n Stones over anything and it end gorgeous. This was no exception!


What do you think? I think this is a match made in heaven! I definitely need to wear it again sometime!

DISCLAIMER: Some products used in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration. This blog is written and edited by me, and the opinions are not influenced in any way and are not compensated. I am not a professional nail tech, nor do I have any formal training in nail care. I'm just someone who likes to polish her nails :) Please read this post for more information.

Good morning! Are you guys having a good Monday? It's FREAKIN' cold here! I took the dog out this morning, and the ground was so frozen there was no mud (and our backyard has been a mudpit for months). Brrrr! Today I have an eyeshadow palette to share with you. It's an okay one - but kind of chalky. I have a fair amount of eyeshadow, and this one is by far the ones that crumbles the most. The one I have is the Car Mela eyeshadow palette #8, featuring a cream color, greens and a blue.

It's really very odd. The cream and greens are super shiny. I'm certain the shimmer particles border on Glitter Herpes territory. But the blue is as matte as matte can be...although it doesn't look like it in the case.


I was prepared for how....pigmented the shadows were. I mean, the arm swatch was a quickie, but still. Especially the cream-colored one. It is super pigmented - but it's also chalky. My eye look for this palette isn't very good. It was WAY over done and very overdramatic...

DISCLAIMER: Some products used in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration. This blog is written and edited by me, and the opinions are not influenced in any way and are not compensated. I am not a professional nail tech, nor do I have any formal training in nail care. I'm just someone who likes to polish her nails :) Please read this post for more information.

Hi all! Did you guys enjoy the looooong blogaversary celebration? Sheesh - 7 giveaways is a lot. I'm sorry to all who entered and didn't win. But you guys know I like sharing things, so sometimes giveaways just happen out of the blue :) BUT today!! Oh today...I have for you an amazing product! You guys know how much I suck at nail art, right? How I struggle? Well, these...well, I call them polish sticks, have completely changed that! I'm actually pulling off some really great nail art the past few days! All I needed was the right tools :)


Nail Candy. Quite possibly the best thing to happen to nail art on my blog. But what makes it so special? Each of these polish sticks have 4 different things you can utilize. What? Yes! There is a regular polish brush AND a fine-tip pen-like thingy (As you can see my words to describe this are awesome)...


They unscrew in the middle, so you can have, like, two different sticks if you want. But up close, you can see where the brush is. It's the scalloped area right above the color.


And the fine tip? It's really awesome. See on the lid where it says "Pull" with the arrow? You just lift that part off to reveal the micro-tip!


You just squeeze a little and polish comes through the tip and right out onto the nail! It makes small details - and my favorite dots! - super easy :) The set I was sent was a brand new set that isn't even for sale yet! It's called Love Letter, and included a whitish silver shimmer, a hot pink shimmer, a red and a pink creme. So I sat down for a few days and just played with these polish sticks. Here are some of my practices :)


heheh Got a little overzealous with my first attempts...tries to put it on too thick. These are super easy to use, did I mention that? I mean, seriously. I fail at doing things like this, but these made it so easy! Check out the stripes in the first photo. Sure, they aren't perfectly straight, but they are well on their way! I always need practice with everything, so you should figure I'd need it with these :) But what was my final mani?

Hearts and dots! :) Well, it is getting close to Valentine's Day after all! I think I tried a little too hard trying to put arrows through the hearts...I didn't plan the placement of the hearts well enough to ensure room for them. But it's something to work towards for next time! I can't wait to try these out again, and look into getting more colors!

You can purchase these polish sticks from the Nail Candy website for $10 per stick. There are several to choose from! :)

DISCLAIMER: Some products used in this post were provided to me by the company for consideration. This blog is written and edited by me, and the opinions are not influenced in any way and are not compensated. I am not a professional nail tech, nor do I have any formal training in nail care. I'm just someone who likes to polish her nails :) Please read this post for more information.

We're down to our last giveaway! Who won the Wet n Wild prize pack...?
I e-mailed her and she has already gotten back with me! Super quick! :)

I just want to think you all for being readers. I wouldn't be blogging without you, and I definitely wouldn't have made it to 2 years. Here's to 2 more! :)

I completely forgot I hadn't posted the winner of the SbtB giveaway! So I'm combining this winner post to include both of them :)

The winner of the Wet n Wild Saved by the Bell-themed polishes is...
She has already replied to my e-mail with her address, so I will be shipping to her in a few days!

The winner of the Essie+Tweezerman giveaway is...
I have contacted them via e-mail, and she has 48 hours to respond. If she does not, I will choose another winner!

I was able to snag this beauty on clearance at Ulta recently, and I'm super happy about it! Yes, I'm talking about a holo...can you believe it? I'm not much of a holo person, as any of my followers knows, but when I met the Layla ladies at Cosmoprof last year, I was able to try some of their amazing holos. I love them :) I haven't been able to find many other commercial holos I like as well. So this very light airy green (which flashes blue a whole heck of a lot) is right up my alley!

It's best to note these pictures were taken after 2 days of wear! Seriously. When I put this polish on, the sky was dreary and rainy and generally yucky. I did take some photos under a lamp, but I just wasn't happy with them. I figure if I could just wait a little bit I could get some sun...and I did! But that's to blame for my pointer middle finger looking like a week-old paint job ! hahah They grow at an accelerated rate compared to my other nails. Yes. It is very weird.

Super smooth sailing with this polish! No base coat, just file with the Layla file. Now I did use top coat, but you don't have to. I used Seche Vite just to see what would happen. As you can see not a whole lot. At first application, the polish looked a little cloudy, but as the SV dried, it cleared up and prettiness was left behind :)

There are still 3 Layla holos I want. Eventually I will just break down and order them, but they are a little rich for my blood. We'll see how I can make that happen...

**DISCLAIMER** I was not paid for this review by anyone. I either purchased these products myself or were given gifts from friends . I am not a professional nail tech or make-up artist, nor do I want to be. I'm just someone who enjoys polishing my own nails and experimenting with make-up! :)